Aerial of Downtown Blacksburg, Virgnia

“Why Blacksburg, VA, is a Best Place to Live”

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BLACKSBURG, VA — Melody Warnick, freelance writer, author and Blacksburg local, wrote why she thinks Blacksburg is a special place to live. Her editorial was published on Livability on January 19.

Touting the bustling, charming downtown, and top-knotch education and arts, Melody expressed why it’s no wonder Blacksburg made Livability’s Top 100 Best Places to Live list for 2017.

“You don’t have to leave behind the serene mountain views or the access to hiking, biking, and horse trails,” said Warnick, “to get yourself a ticket to catch a world-class musician like Yo-Yo Ma performing at the recently built Moss Arts Center on the Virginia Tech campus.”

Read the full article on Livability.

Melody Warnick is the author of This Is Where You Belong: The Art and Science of Loving the Place You Live.

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Virginia’s New River Valley: For those searching for an inspiring place to live and do business, Virginia’s New River Valley provides both an eclectic small town atmosphere and an innovative, collaborative business community with a loyal, highly skilled, and educated workforce. Offering the best of all worlds – magnificent mountains, cutting-edge research, arts, entertainment, and education – it’s A NATURAL FIT.

Onward NRV: Onward NRV is a public/private, regional economic development organization whose mission is to attract and retain world class jobs, investment and talent in Virginia’s New River Valley. It’s also a movement where leaders from business, government, and higher education work together to promote the economic vitality of the region.

VT College of Engineering #9 Among Public Institutions

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BLACKSBURG, VA — Virginia Tech’s College of Engineering ranks 9th among public institutions, according U.S. News & World Report’s 2018 Best College Rankings.

The college of engineering is also 14th among all national universities. Read more about programs offered and engineering news at https://eng.vt.edu/

Overall, Virginia Tech is ranked the 25th best public university and 69th for all national universities.

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Virginia’s New River Valley: For those searching for an inspiring place to live and do business, Virginia’s New River Valley provides both an eclectic small town atmosphere and an innovative, collaborative business community with a loyal, highly skilled, and educated workforce. Offering the best of both worlds – magnificent mountains, cutting-edge research, arts, entertainment, and education – it’s A NATURAL FIT.

Onward NRV: Onward NRV is a public/private, regional economic development organization whose mission is to attract and retain world class jobs, investment and talent in Virginia’s New River Valley. It’s also a movement where leaders from business, government, and higher education work together to promote the economic vitality of the region.

Summer in Virginia's New River Valley

Town of Narrows Awarded $699,346 in Grants

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NARROWS, VA — The Town of Narrows in Giles County was awarded $699,346 in Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funding. Narrows was awarded the CDBG Competitive Grant Award for Business District Revitalization.

The federally-funded grant program has been administered by the Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development since 1982. “This program has long been providing funding for projects that improve the quality of life for thousands of Virginians every year,” said former Virginia Governor Terry McAuliffe. “Through Community Development Block Grants, we are able to address needs across the Commonwealth…I congratulate the four grantees and look forward to the success of these projects in Virginia.”

Conceptual rendering of possible improvements to the downtown in Narrows.

The grant was facilitated by a volunteer team of citizens with the help of the NRV Regional Commission. The proposed project will focus on the business district and encourage visitors to explore Narrows. It will create more public spaces and amenities for events and tourism, such as a Creekside Trail, public space along Wolf Creek, and more organized walkways.

This project will even provide matching funds for updates to commercial properties that would improve the facades and create better street views.

Governor McAuliffe also recommended that the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) give $392,588 to the Town of Narrows to locate an outdoor outfitting business right off Wolf Creek. The ARC is set to finalize this project award approval in 2018.

Learn more about Narrows.

Read more from Giles County and the full news release from the Governor’s office.

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Virginia’s New River Valley: For those searching for an inspiring place to live and do business, Virginia’s New River Valley provides both an eclectic small town atmosphere and an innovative, collaborative business community with a loyal, highly skilled, and educated workforce. Offering the best of both worlds – magnificent mountains, cutting-edge research, arts, entertainment, and education – it’s A NATURAL FIT.

Onward NRV: Onward NRV is a public/private, regional economic development organization whose mission is to attract and retain world class jobs, investment and talent in Virginia’s New River Valley. It’s also a movement where leaders from business, government, and higher education work together to promote the economic vitality of the region.

Montgomery County’s Prime Photonics, LC to Participate in Virginia’s VALET Program

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~Two-year export program provides resources to support international business expansion~

RICHMOND, VA – The Virginia Economic Development Partnership (VEDP) today announced the acceptance of a Montgomery County company, Prime Photonics, LC, into its two-year Virginia Leaders in Export Trade (VALET) program. The VALET program assists exporters in the Commonwealth that have firmly established domestic operations and are committed to international exporting as a growth strategy. To participate, each business must meet both quantitative and qualitative selection criteria. Participating firms are chosen based on their dedication to growing export sales. To date, 304 Virginia companies have been accepted to participate in the VALET program.

“VALET has provided a vehicle for participating companies to reach global markets and grow their business on a global scale since 2002,” said VEDP President and CEO Stephen Moret. “The benefit of international trade to Virginia’s economy cannot be overstated, and I am confident that with a continued commitment to exporting, these businesses will see a strong return on investment in the coming years.”

Currently, the VALET program has 50 companies as participants. The program provides participating companies with export planning services and assistance from a team of experienced international service providers to help meet their international goals. These private sector service providers contribute essential expertise to assist companies in executing export plans and include attorneys, web designers, bankers, translators, accountants, and freight forwarders.

“The VALET program puts participating companies on the fast track to international business growth by connecting them with the necessary tools for successful international sales,” said Paul Grossman, VEDP Vice President of International Trade. “Since its inception in 2002, the program has worked with more than 300 businesses to accelerate their international sales growth. We are happy to welcome Prime Photonics to VALET and look forward to working with them over the course of the next two years.”

The Commonwealth of Virginia exports more than $34 billion in goods and services annually. Exports of Virginia’s products and services to the world are vital to the growth of the Commonwealth, supporting more than 232,000 jobs and generating $2 billion in tax revenue. VEDP offers numerous programs to assist Virginia companies with selling in the global marketplace and has a network of international market research consultants covering more than 70 countries around the globe.

Prime Photonics, LC

Prime Photonics develops impactful sensor and materials technologies and products for test & measurement, inspection, control, and health monitoring of commercial and military equipment, structures and turbomachinery. For more information, please visit http://www.primephotonics.com

Virginia Economic Development Partnership

The Virginia Economic Development Partnership was created by the Virginia General Assembly in 1995 to encourage, stimulate, and support the development and expansion of the economy of the Commonwealth. To accomplish its objectives of promoting economic expansion within the Commonwealth, the Partnership focuses its efforts on business recruitment, expansion and international trade.

For more information on the VALET Program, visit http://exportvirginia.org/services/programs-grants/

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Virginia’s New River Valley: For those searching for an inspiring place to live and do business, Virginia’s New River Valley provides both an eclectic small town atmosphere and an innovative, collaborative business community with a loyal, highly skilled, and educated workforce. Offering the best of all worlds – magnificent mountains, cutting-edge research, arts, entertainment, and education – it’s A NATURAL FIT.

Onward NRV: Onward NRV is a public/private, regional economic development organization whose mission is to attract and retain world class jobs, investment and talent in Virginia’s New River Valley. It’s also a movement where leaders from business, government, and higher education work together to promote the economic vitality of the region.

Pulaski County and the Town of Pulaski Announce 40 New Jobs

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~Newcan Corporation to Invest $4 Million and Locate Headquarters and Manufacturing Operations to Pulaski County~
PULASKI, VA – On January 17, 2018, Pulaski County in partnership with the Town of Pulaski officially announced Newcan Corporation is moving their headquarters and their main production facility from Holbrook, Massachusetts to Pulaski, Virginia. The move will bring 40 new jobs and an investment of $4 million to Pulaski County. Newcan is a recognized leader in the production of high-quality precision stampings and perforated components. The company has a rich history dating back to 1902, and has pioneered many innovative techniques, resulting in an annual production of over 350,000,000 components. “We are an ISO/TS16949-registered supplier and our commitment to quality is second to none,” stated Rick Boettner, Chairman of Newcan. “We have a great relationship with the Town and County of Pulaski, so when we acquired Newcan it made good sense we would move it to Pulaski because of its premier location and its quality of workforce.” “In today’s competitive market, I commend Falls Stamping and Welding for the innovation and vision to expand its current capabilities with a new business unit,” said Governor Ralph Northam. “A key aspect of strengthening our economy is ensuring that existing companies of all sizes continue to thrive in the Commonwealth. We thank this important corporate partner for creating 40 new jobs in Pulaski County, and look forward to Falls Stamping and Newcan Corporation’s future success.” Newcan will be moving into its new home at 28 Jefferson Street in the Town of Pulaski. The facility currently houses Falls Stamping and Welding. Falls will continue to operate within the facility and both companies will have the same management team and ownership, though the companies will make different products and have different customer bases. “Newcan allows us to diversify our product offerings and enables us to increase our customer relationships,” stated Rick Boettner. “Newcan and Falls Stamping both have high standards for quality and customer service and we think having them together in the same facility will make them both even better.” “It is becoming ever more important for Pulaski County to partner with our Towns to recruit business and industry and provide the support needed to help them stabilize and grow in today’s competitive marketplace,” stated Jonathan D. Sweet, County Administrator. “This is our first announcement of 2018 and it happens to be an excellent example of partnership, pragmatism, and teamwork on both the public and private side of the equation. We are so very thankful for Newcan and its leadership’s decision to locate their headquarters and main production operations to Pulaski County, and we feel confident this strategic move will afford Newcan and Falls Stamping the synergies needed to ensure they remain industry leaders in the precession stamping and perforated components arena for many years to come.” Newcan is a major supplier to the automotive and industrial filter industry and offers the largest assortment of lock seam tubes available on the market today. They have progressive tooling, feeding, and straightening concepts that allow high-speed production of the most precise stampings at speeds up to 250 parts per minute. “We have a lot happening in downtown Pulaski and we are excited Newcan has decided to make their new home here,” shared Mayor Nick Glenn, Town of Pulaski. “We are in the process of revitalizing our Main Street and we could not be more pleased to add these new jobs and investments to our local economy. This is also another example of the County and Town working together to better our community as a whole.” The company will be starting the move in February with hopes to having the facility up and running by July of 2018. Newcan operates three facilities throughout the U.S. that include Greenfield, OH, Gastonia, NC and now Pulaski, VA. This project marks the fifth (5th) basic industry sector announcement for Pulaski County in the past nine (9) months and brings the County’s 9-month totals to 645 new jobs and $65 million in new capital. Pulaski County, Virginia Jonathan D. Sweet ICMA-CM County Administrator Phone: (540) 980-7705 Email: jsweet@pulaskicounty.org Newcan Corporation Jason L. Taft Chief Financial Officer and V.P. of Sales Phone: (440) 263-1961 Email: jason.taft@falls-stamping.com
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Virginia’s New River Valley: For those searching for an inspiring place to live and do business, Virginia’s New River Valley provides both an eclectic small town atmosphere and an innovative, collaborative business community with a loyal, highly skilled, and educated workforce. Offering the best of both worlds – magnificent mountains, cutting-edge research, arts, entertainment, and education – it’s A NATURAL FIT. Onward NRV: Onward NRV is a public/private, regional economic development organization whose mission is to attract and retain world class jobs, investment and talent in Virginia’s New River Valley. It’s also a movement where leaders from business, government, and higher education work together to promote the economic vitality of the region.

Governor McAuliffe Announces 83 New Jobs in Giles County

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~ Interstate Group LLC to invest $4.1 million to establish East Coast manufacturing and distribution operation ~

 

GLEN LYN, VA – Governor Terry McAuliffe today announced that Interstate Group LLC, an industry leader in the manufacturing and sale of enclosed cargo trailers, will invest $4.1 million to establish a 100,000-square-foot East Coast manufacturing and distribution operation in the former GE Fairchild Mining Equipment plant in Giles County. Virginia successfully competed against North Carolina for the project, which will create 83 new jobs.

“We are thrilled that Interstate Group has selected Giles County and the Commonwealth as the home of its East Coast operations,” said Governor McAuliffe, speaking at the announcement. “This important project will not only create new jobs for an area that has been hard hit by recent closures, it will bring a shuttered plant back into productive use. With one of the nation’s largest transportation networks, an outstanding workforce, and competitive operating costs, the Commonwealth is the ideal location for Interstate Group as it expands its footprint. This is a major win for the New River Valley, and we are proud the company will contribute to our efforts to diversify and build a new Virginia economy.”

 

Founded in 1995, Interstate Group LLC is an industry leader in the manufacturing and sales of enclosed cargo trailers. The company is headquartered in Nampa, Idaho, and has manufacturing plants in Arkansas, Arizona, and Idaho.

 

“Strengthening the advanced manufacturing sector in the Commonwealth continues to be a top priority, and Interstate Group will be a great addition to the growing cluster in the New River Valley,” said Secretary of Commerce and Trade Todd Haymore. “Interstate Group joins nearly 6,000 manufacturing firms that operate in Virginia and generate more than $113 billion in direct annual economic output, and will bring vital, quality jobs to the region. We’re proud to add the company to our corporate roster, and we look forward to a long partnership.”


“Interstate is excited to select Glen Lyn as the location for our fourth and largest manufacturing plant,” said Michael Snow, CEO of Interstate Group. “We looked at other states in the region and at multiple locations in Virginia. The opportunity to repurpose an existing facility, combined with the incentives we received from the Commonwealth and Giles County, will help us reduce the cost of our investment while preserving our culture of high incentive-based pay for our team members. I have been very impressed with the understanding and responsiveness of the state and local officials to our needs and timelines. We look forward to being part of this community and making it the foundation of our growth on the East Coast.”

 

The Virginia Economic Development Partnership worked with Giles County and Onward New River Valley to secure the project for Virginia. Governor McAuliffe approved a $200,000 Commonwealth’s Opportunity Fund to assist the County with the project. The company will be eligible to receive Sales and Use Tax Exemptions on manufacturing equipment, and will also be eligible to receive a Major Business Facility Job Tax Credit. Funding and services to support Interstate Group’s employee training activities will be provided through the Virginia Jobs Investment Program.

 

“This is great news for the entire New River Valley and we are very excited that Interstate Group has chosen Giles County as the location for its East Coast manufacturing facility,” said Richard McCoy, Chairman of the Giles County Board of Supervisors.

“These jobs are much needed in an economy that has been hard hit by downturns in the coal industry” added Dr. S. Lee Wheeler, Chairman of the Giles County Industrial Development Authority. We appreciate the work of the Economic Development Partnership, the Governor’s office, Onward New River Valley, and all of all those involved in making this a reality.”


Office of the Governor
Contact: Brian Coy
Email: Brian.Coy@governor.virginia.gov

 

Virginia Economic Development Partnership
Contact: Suzanne Clark
Phone: (804) 545-5806
Email: sclark@yesvirginia.org

 

Interstate Group LLC
Contact:  Michael Snow
Phone: 208 442 7640
Email: snowm@interstatecargo.com

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Virginia’s New River Valley: For those searching for an inspiring place to live and do business, Virginia’s New River Valley provides both an eclectic small town atmosphere and an innovative, collaborative business community with a loyal, highly skilled, and educated workforce. Offering the best of both worlds – magnificent mountains, cutting-edge research, arts, entertainment, and education – it’s A NATURAL FIT.

Onward NRV: Onward NRV is a public/private, regional economic development organization whose mission is to attract and retain world class jobs, investment and talent in Virginia’s New River Valley. It’s also a movement where leaders from business, government, and higher education work together to promote the economic vitality of the region.

Pete Dye River Course Named the #20 Best Golf Course in VA

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FAIRLAWN, VA — The Pete Dye River Course of Virginia Tech was named the no. 20 best golf course in Virginia by Golf Digest (2017-2018).

The course, which finished it’s update by Course Architect Pete Dye in 2006, has been 2011 NCAA Regional Championships and the 2016 Virginia State Amateur Championship. It is the home course for all Radford University and Virginia Tech golf teams, and continues to be one of the top courses in the region. Dye said:

“This place has all the ambience and qualities that make a golf course really good. Here you’ve got the sound of the river up and down the whole golf course the entire time…the river and scenery are unbelievable.”

For more information about the course visit the River Course site. See what else there is to do in Virginia’s New River Valley by clicking below.

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Virginia’s New River Valley: For those searching for an inspiring place to live and do business, Virginia’s New River Valley provides both an eclectic small town atmosphere and an innovative, collaborative business community with a loyal, highly skilled, and educated workforce. Offering the best of both worlds – magnificent mountains, cutting-edge research, arts, entertainment, and education – it’s A NATURAL FIT.

Onward NRV: Onward NRV is a public/private, regional economic development organization whose mission is to attract and retain world class jobs, investment and talent in Virginia’s New River Valley. It’s also a movement where leaders from business, government, and higher education work together to promote the economic vitality of the region.

Virginia Ranked the #7 Most Innovative State

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NEW RIVER VALLEY, VA — The Commonwealth of Virginia was ranked the no. 7 most innovative state by Forbes. Advanced technology has greatly developed in Virginia and is expected to continue flourishing. In the original article, Forbes notes:

“[Virginia] is noteworthy for having the highest share of technology companies in the country. It ranked second for projected STEM job demand by 2020.”

Rackspace Web Hosting, Located in the VT Corporate Research Center in Blacksburg, VA, boasts an open, laid-back work environment for their IT professionals.

Virginia’s New River Valley names Information Technology as one of the targeted industries for the region. Optimal office space, cutting-edge resources, and access to talent make the NRV an excellent fit for technology-related businesses. The lower cost of living and sophisticated culture in our collection of down-to-earth small towns make the region a great fit for people interested in working in IT.

Cover photo features the interior space at Qualtrax, a compliance software company located in Downtown Blacksburg.

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Virginia’s New River Valley: For those searching for an inspiring place to live and do business, Virginia’s New River Valley provides both an eclectic small town atmosphere and an innovative, collaborative business community with a loyal, highly skilled, and educated workforce. Offering the best of both worlds – magnificent mountains, cutting-edge research, arts, entertainment, and education – it’s A NATURAL FIT.

Onward NRV: Onward NRV is a public/private, regional economic development organization whose mission is to attract and retain world class jobs, investment and talent in Virginia’s New River Valley. It’s also a movement where leaders from business, government, and higher education work together to promote the economic vitality of the region.

Radford the #21 Most Wallet-Friendly College City

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RADFORD, VA — The city of Radford ranks no. 21 for “wallet-friendliness” among college towns and cities, according to WalletHub. Home of Radford University, Radford has a high population of students, and plenty of low-cost options for entertainment.

Source: WalletHub

The ranking is based on the following metrics:

  • Housing Costs Note: This metric measures the price of a two-bedroom apartment rental.
  • Adjusted Cost of Living for Young People
  • Share of Rental Units
  • Average Monthly Fitness-Club Fee
  • Average Cost of Pizza & Burgers
  • Cost of Higher Education Note: This metric measures the average tuition fee weighted by the number of students.
  • Student Loan Debt per Person

    • Learn more about the City of Radford and Radford University.

    Check out more of the higher education options in the NRV here.

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    Virginia’s New River Valley: For those searching for an inspiring place to live and do business, Virginia’s New River Valley provides both an eclectic small town atmosphere and an innovative, collaborative business community with a loyal, highly skilled, and educated workforce. Offering the best of both worlds – magnificent mountains, cutting-edge research, arts, entertainment, and education – it’s A NATURAL FIT.

    Onward NRV: Onward NRV is a public/private, regional economic development organization whose mission is to attract and retain world class jobs, investment and talent in Virginia’s New River Valley. It’s also a movement where leaders from business, government, and higher education work together to promote the economic vitality of the region.

    JBR Vineyards to Open New Farm Winery in Giles County

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    RICHMOND, VA – Governor Terry McAuliffe today announced that JBR Vineyards, LLC will expand its vineyard operation to open a farm winery in Giles County. The company will invest over a quarter of a million dollars in the construction of its new winery and tasting room, which will create two new jobs. JBR planted Giles County’s first vineyard in 2006 and plans to now expand the vineyard substantially to support its wine production. Through this expansion, JBR will use over 14 tons of Virginia-grown grapes in its wines over the next three years.

    “JBR Vineyard’s continued growth and investment in Giles County is great news for Virginia’s rural areas and agriculture sector overall,” said Governor McAuliffe. “Investments like these create jobs and open new markets for agritourism in the region. Today’s announcement is a great win for Virginia’s agriculture industry as we continue with our ongoing efforts to build and diversify the new Virginia economy.”

    “Through its commitment to producing high quality estate wines, JBR Vineyards is furthering Virginia’s efforts at growing this important sector of the economy,” said Secretary of Agriculture and Forestry Basil Gooden. “I am pleased the Commonwealth could partner with Giles County through the AFID Program to support this local business in a flourishing industry.”

    “The vineyard/winery industry in Virginia is starting to be noticed,” said co-owner of JBR Vineyards LLC and Giles County native Jessee Ring. “With our vineyard expansion, new facilities were needed and we chose to do that at the Giles County vineyard. We appreciate the help we have gotten from the County and the Commonwealth. We look forward to continuing this exciting journey!”

    “We are excited that VDACS and the Governor’s Office continue to promote and support new business opportunities like JBR Vineyards,” said Chris McKlarney, Giles County Administrator. “Giles County is pleased to join with our Commonwealth of Virginia partners in the effort to expand our economy and create new jobs for our citizens. Agriculture is important to Giles County and the addition of a vineyard and winery will provide additional tourism opportunities for visitors to Virginia’s Mountain Playground.”

    The Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services worked with Giles County and JBR Vineyards to secure this project for Virginia. Governor McAuliffe approved a $5,000 grant from the Governor’s Agriculture and Forestry Industries Development Fund, which Giles County will match with local funds.

    Full Release

    Office of the Governor
    Contact: Brian Coy
    Email: Brian.Coy@governor.virginia.gov

    Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services
    Contact: Elaine Lidholm
    Phone: (804) 786-7686
    Email: Elaine.Lidholm@vdacs.virginia.gov

    JBR Vineyards, LLC
    Contact: Jessee and Deborah Ring
    Phone: (540) 250-7293

    Charlotte Gomer
    Assistant Communications Director
    Office of Governor Terence R. McAuliffe
    Charlotte.Gomer@governor.virginia.gov

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    Virginia’s New River Valley: For those searching for an inspiring place to live and do business, Virginia’s New River Valley provides both an eclectic small town atmosphere and an innovative, collaborative business community with a loyal, highly skilled, and educated workforce. Offering the best of both worlds – magnificent mountains, cutting-edge research, arts, entertainment, and education – it’s A NATURAL FIT.

    Onward NRV: Onward NRV is a public/private, regional economic development organization whose mission is to attract and retain world class jobs, investment and talent in Virginia’s New River Valley. It’s also a movement where leaders from business, government, and higher education work together to promote the economic vitality of the region.